


Gifts Denied

by reasonablywittyatbest



Category: Dishonored (Video Game)
Genre: Other, mostly flesh and steel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-10
Updated: 2014-11-10
Packaged: 2018-02-24 20:17:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2595101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reasonablywittyatbest/pseuds/reasonablywittyatbest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Corvo has decided not to use the Outsider's powers and it has not gone well with the Outsider.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gifts Denied

The smell of an icy tide hit his nose, salt, seaweed, fish, and cold.   He had long stopped being surprised by the feeling of freezing and general strangeness of the void.  Instead he glanced around for his most gracious host and found him lounging low in a plush chair, face propped on a fist.  Across from him was another much less ornate chair, which Daud guessed was for him.

There was no use in drawing out the inevitable.  Instead he made his way across the narrow stone path, nothing was easy here, to the Outsider's meeting place.  He sat in the chair, crossed his arms, and stared across the space between them, waiting for the Outsider to start talking.  He didn't always talk, when he was younger sometimes the Outsider would pull him into the void and simply stare at him.  Luckily this was not one of those times.

"Men and women have long done terrible things for the chance you and so few others have been given; and yet for the most part Corvo refuses my gifts"  The Outsider finally spoke, something about his tone different than usual, he wasn't mocking him for one.

Daud furrowed his brows in confusion, the Outsider was usually so reluctant to speak of those others he gave his mark to.  Daud had guessed that Corvo was one of them, the things he had done so far were extraordinary enough.  Surely though, he had not really brought him here to discuss the disgraced Lord Protector.  The Outsider shifted in his seat almost restlessly, fingers on the arm rest started to drum against the stone.  Was that impatience? Usually it was difficult, or impossible, to peg human emotions on the otherworldly creature that sat across from him.

"He makes his way through this city as any other man, with nothing more than brute strength and his steel.  Never has he shown any inclination to the Abbey, yet he does not take advantage of the powers I have given him." He muttered, surely speaking to Daud but clearly his mind as elsewhere.

Daud raised an eyebrow, half surprised that Corvo had been so successful without the Outsider's power, but more interesting at the moment was the Outsider himself.  The usually measured tone, appropriately mystical and mildly amused or irritatingly smug, was noticeably more brisk.  The words spoken with more force, with impatience.  On a human it would sound annoyed; surely the acts of one man could not have gotten under the skin of the Outsider though.

"My gifts can be used to shift the tides of fate and send common men trembling to their knees, look what you have done with them, those who bear my mark decide the fates of entire civilizations, never before have I had one of my chosen deny their powers. And when I inquire as to why he chooses to deny my mark, I am met with silence. Few men are brave enough to defy me so directly." It was unmistakable, the Outsider was annoyed, and surely complaining about Corvo Attano's lack of cooperation in his favorite game.

And Daud had to fight the urge to smirk now.  He figured taking pleasure in the irritation of The Outsider was a poor idea.  He didn't know what the whale god would do to him if he took offense; but Daud knew endless time had made him very creative. Never the less Daud was rather pleased to see him shook up, and he felt a sudden fondness for the man who was no doubt hunting him at this very moment, as he lay asleep in his rooms in the flooded district.   He would feel a fondness for anyone who could unsettle the god who had overshadowed his life for so long.

"From what I hear the Lord Protector is a quiet man" He finally said when it seemed the Outsider has slipped into a restless silence, trying to keep his own tone flat, not to hint that he was teasing.  Though he definitely was, danger be damned.  He couldn't help it, this is the first time he'd seen the Outsider show anything other than smug superiority or curiosity, when would he get this chance again.  It was true enough anyways; in fact there was a rumor in the city that the man was actually mute.  

Still it seemed he hadn't hid amusement well enough, the Outsider leaned forwards in his chair now, fingers laced together, his endless black eyes narrowed.

"Does this amuse you, Daud?" The Outsider finally snapped, his full irritation focused solely on Daud now. "I only called you here to see what you think of such a man. That Corvo has accomplished all he has without using the powers you have always used so freely, it is an amazing feat.  Can you really hope to win against such a man?"  His words sounded like the hollow excuses of one not used to having to make any.

Daud opened his mouth to reply, certainly as diplomatically as he could, maybe, possibly an offhand comment about needing a thicker skin, but never got the chance. 

"Goodbye Daud, you have work to do, do not let me keep you"  The outsider leaned back in his chair brow furrowed in annoyance and waved his hand in dismissal.

And he was thrown from the void by the irritated god and rudely forced back into consciousness.  He sat up with quickly in his room, lit dimly by the lamp Thomas used.  He was sat some distance away writing in his journal, a wave of a hand silenced him before he could ask any questions.  Daud found he was grinning.  If he had to be hunted by anyone he liked the idea it was one who would dare defy the Outsider so boldly, a man who could achieve what Corvo already had with no help from the whale god. A worthy man indeed.

There was no use going back to sleep now, and the Outsider was right he had work to do.  Maybe when he was done he could face such a man that would defy the Outsider with more pride.

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't help but think that the Outsider would be annoyed during a mostly flesh and steel run though...


End file.
